Five College Consortium

Dragon ladies, lotus blossoms, geisha girls--the U.S. cultural imaginary is saturated with myths regarding Asian sexuality and gender. This interdisciplinary course intervenes into this dominant imaginary by exploring feminist and queer frameworks derived from Asian-American contexts: immigration, labor, racial stereotyping, militarization, citizenship, and so-called "terrorism." Through a mix of scholarly, creative, activist, and media texts, we will challenge preconceived notions about Asian Americans as regressive, repressed, or hyper-sexual, as well as examine the powerful counter-imaginaries offered within Asian American literature and culture.